Consumers now have an excellent reason to use their mobile phones while dining. Unlimited 4G LTE data and free Wi-Fi in many places are making it easier than ever to find and use coupons as well as conveniently pay restaurant bills using your mobile device. Soon, there will be no more waiting for your server to bring the check or waiting even longer for him to return with your card or change. Paying a restaurant bill is becoming as easy as a touch of button on your mobile phone, with 3 out of 10 customers now reporting using a restaurant’s mobile app to pay their bill. Apple Pay and apps like OpenTable for iPhone are making it possible to pay using mobile devices at thousands of restaurants in major cities across the U.S.
In fact, Starbucks is already processing 5 million mobile transactions per week through its mobile app. What’s more, consumers are deriving up to $6,000 just from using their mobile phones to snag great deals and make payments. To tap into the 180 million active social media users in the U.S., 82 percent of restaurants will integrate social media into their loyalty programs by the end of 2015, which means that using your smartphone where you eat and drink will continue to pay off more and more. Plus, 34 million people are using time-saving apps like Waitlist Me to make reservations and manage wait times.
With more reliable options like the iPhone with T-Mobile, this trend is only expected to spread, as more restaurants and businesses across the country reach out to the growing base of mobile customers. Plus, with 74 percent of consumers saying they’d order takeout and delivery using a mobile app if the service was available, consumers can expect more mobile-friendly options for dining in as well as out. Keep reading to find out how the transition to mobile will help improve your dining experience.
